Essex Ghost Town

San Bernardino County, California34.7336, -115.2442

Can you visit?

Private land, lived-in town

Private or unlisted land · Streets public, lots private

Nearest town
35 miNeedles, CA
Mild months
Jan–Dec6 of 12
Elevation
1,730 ft528 m
Essex, California
Photo: UnderPressure at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Essex sits in San Bernardino County, California. People call it a ghost town, though 89 residents were counted in 2005. It lies at about 1,730 feet above sea level.

On the map

20 mi40 miFort MohaveNeedlesMohave ValleyEssex
  • BLM
  • National Park Service
  • Land trust
  • Tribal
  • Private or unlisted

Star: Essex. Dots: other ghost towns within 40 miles, colored by land manager. Squares: towns over 1,000 people. Rings are straight-line distance. Live map: © OpenFreeMap, OpenMapTiles, OpenStreetMap contributors.

The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Needles, CA, about 35 miles east in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Lake Havasu City, AZ, 55 miles away.

Ghost towns nearby

  1. Goffs16 mi northeast
  2. Chambless21 mi southwest
  3. Cadiz21 mi southwest
  4. Providence23 mi northwest
  5. Saltus29 mi southwest
  6. Kelso30 mi northwest
  7. Amboy31 mi southwest
  8. Bagdad37 mi west

Distances are straight lines. Roads to ruins are often dirt, and a 20-mile hop can take an hour.

Who owns the land

Private or unlisted land

The town center is not on any public or protected parcel in PAD-US, the national map of public land. People still live here, so streets are open while buildings and lots belong to their owners. Ask before you step onto a property. Another parcel starts within a quarter mile: Needles Field Office. Ruins often spread across more than one owner.

The point is the town location from Wikidata, and the land record is from PAD-US 3.0 (USGS). Ruins can spread past that point, and land changes hands faster than the database. How we read PAD-US.

Weather by month

0°20°40°60°80°100°120°6646Jan7149Feb7954Mar8761Apr9670May10680Jun11087Jul10985Aug10377Sep9065Oct7552Nov6445DecJan: 0.7 inFeb: 0.8 inMar: 0.5 inApr: 0.2 inMay: 0.1 inJun: 0.0 inJul: 0.3 inAug: 0.4 inSep: 0.3 inOct: 0.2 inNov: 0.3 inDec: 0.4 inrain
Mild month (average high 55–88°F, low above 28°F) 32°F, freezing Rain and snow water, inches

Mild months here run November to April, judging by NOAA normals from Needles Ap. April to October bring 10 or more days at 90°F and up.

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from the Needles Ap station (USW00023179), 36 miles away. The town sits about 800 feet higher than the station, so expect it to run cooler. About 4.2 inches of precipitation a year.

Facts

LocationSan Bernardino County, California
Coordinates34.73361, -115.24417
Elevation1,730 ft (528 m)
Census counts2005: 89
Also known asEssex, San Bernardino County, California, Essex, CA
SourcesWikidata Q5399620 · Wikipedia article

Questions

Where is Essex ghost town?

In San Bernardino County, California, at 34.7336, -115.2442. The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Needles, CA, about 35 miles east in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Lake Havasu City, AZ, 55 miles away.

Can you visit Essex?

Private land, lived-in town. The town center is not on any public or protected parcel in PAD-US, the national map of public land. People still live here, so streets are open while buildings and lots belong to their owners. Ask before you step onto a property. Another parcel starts within a quarter mile: Needles Field Office. Ruins often spread across more than one owner.

When is the best time to visit Essex?

Mild months here run November to April, judging by NOAA normals from Needles Ap. April to October bring 10 or more days at 90°F and up.

Are there other ghost towns near Essex?

Yes. Goffs (16 mi), Chambless (21 mi), Cadiz (21 mi), Providence (23 mi).

More ghost towns in California

All 240 ghost towns in California · Ghost towns near Lake Havasu City